Pole Saw Buyer's Guide

How to Pick the Perfect Pole Saw

Want to saw up high, but think it's dangerous to saw on a ladder? Good thinking.

So how can you get your saw to reach those high branches while keeping your feet planted on the ground?

Take a lightweight chainsaw, add a stick, and you get a pole saw.

While this “chainsaw on a stick” may seem odd at first, it's quite a handy addition to anyone’s landscaping arsenal. Just don't go trying to make your own with a broomstick handle, or you could end up with a serious injury.

Cordless Pole SawsCordless pole saws are powered by a rechargeable battery which will last about an hour. Look for a model with a Lithium-Ion battery instead of a Ni-Cad battery. Lithium-Ion offers better performance, has a longer life, and performance will not suffer as the battery loses its charge.

Besides chain sharpening, there is really no maintenance associated with cordless pole saws, which is a big advantage over gas-powered models.

The convenience of rechargeable polesaws allows you to use them anywhere. However, due to the battery-power, these are the least powerful pole saws available.

NEXT: Top-Rated & Best-Selling Cordless Pole Saws

Electric Pole SawsElectric pole saws are popular because you just plug it into an extension cord and you're trimming trees. Still designed for small trimming work, these saws come with blades of 6" - 10".

Again, the electric motor requires almost no maintenance to keep the pole saw running strong.

Electric pole saws are lighter than cordless models because you don't have the added weight of a battery. However, you will need to use it within 100 feet of an electrical source as you will be plugged in.

NEXT: Top-Rated & Best-Selling Electric Pole Saws

Gas-Powered Pole SawsGas-powered models offer the pinnacle of performance and power in the pole saw category. These are equipped with more heavy-duty bars and chains than their electric counterparts to cut bigger stuff.

Gas pole saws come with shafts up to 9' so you can trim tall trees while keeping your feet safely on the ground.

The more powerful gas engines are heavier than electric motors, but these saws are balanced well so they are still easy to operate. Also, the gas powered engine creates more noise than electric motors.